Coating powders based on titanium suboxides have been described, together with a detailed description of the prior art, in DE 100 00 979 (to avoid repetitions, in this passage reference will be had only to said description). Such powders are characterized by the fact that in the formula TinO2n-1, “n” has a narrow range of n±2 or narrower and the coating powder particles have a particle size in the range of 10-90 μm. But it has been found in experiments with coatings sprayed from such powder, despite having an oxygen deficit compared to TiO2, a disturbing partial oxidation is unavoidable in the coating process. In addition the planar defects typical of the titanium suboxides of the formula TinO2n-1 (Magneli phases) could not be transmitted to the thermally sprayed coatings (Berger L.-M., Thiele S., Nebelung M., Storz O., Gasthuber H., Spray Powders and Coatings on the Basis of Titanium Suboxides; in: Thermal Spray 2001; New Surfaces for a New Millennium, Proceedings of the International Thermal Spray Conference, 28-30 May 2001, Singapore, Ed.: C. C. Berndt, K. A. Khor, E. F. Lugscheider; Materials Park/Ohio; ASM International, 2001, p. 291-300).
One object of this invention is to provide coating powders based on suboxides of titanium having the structure of Magneli phases and which excel in resistance to oxidation and in which the planar defect structure of the Magneli phases can be transmitted to the coatings independently of the coating technique.
Another object of this invention is to provide a coating powder of the kind mentioned from which can be prepared coatings which excel in superior electroconductivity, solid lubricating properties and resistance to wear.